Grimmfest 2017 Saturday programme review

It was our first time at Manchester’s Grimmfest , but the quality of films was outstanding.

Here’s our review of the showings –

Killing Ground

To say that Killing Ground is intense would be an understatement.

Centering around a couple of fall upon a pair of twisted killers in the middle of nowhere in Australia, there are times when it skims very close to the edge of decency.

What it does pack are some shocking moments alongside some fist-pump ones too as the couple must do battle of sorts to survive.

Much like The Hounds of Love, this is a film to be admired not enjoyed as it goes to places some would dare never go.

Replace

One of the most original horrors certainly in the past couple of years, Replace is that rare breed that can be gross out but also extremely fascinating.

Set to a bombastic synth soundtrack, we follow Kira who is inflicted with a rare skin disease and she must make some tough choices to survive.

Co-starring horror star Barbara Crampton, this film has many layers and swaggers with confidence in its source material.

Just when you’ve got it figured out, Replace throws you a curve ball.

Game of Death

You always worry about a film that begins at a breakneck pace, whether it can maintain it or fizzle out a mid point.

Game of Death is billed as Jumanji meets Battle Royale and is possibly the most gory film in living memory.

From the first death the ketchup just flows and flows and flows until were all covered in it.

Part comedy, this has plenty of comic relief to offset the violence.

It’s ending sequence may polarise viewers but there’s plenty of fun to be had here.

Double Date

This British is frankly more comedy horror than vice versa, and features plenty of laughs as well enough blood to keep the gore hounds at bay.

Set around Jimmy an awkward virgin and his quest to lose his virginity before he’s 30. Joined by wingman bafoon Alex (Michael Socha) they meet a pair of sisters that may be more than they can handle in more ways than one.

Socha is on top comedic form here and with some genuinely hilarious scenes as well as fight scene to rival They Live, Double Date is one of the best British exports in some time.

As we stated in our review recently of Leatherface, this prequel feels like an unnecessary entry in the series.

It doesn’t really add much in terms of quality or mythos to the legend of Leatherface and does a better job of watering down the character than building him up to be the monster he will become.

The film could be classed as a horror road movie of sorts, with the main plot being to find out which of these kids escaping from a mental asylum ends up being Leatherface.

Once that is taken care of a clunky finale puts some of the pieces together, but this is too late to save it from the inevitable bargain bin of horror.

Also a special mention for superb shorts Sound from the Deep, a Scandinavian horror which takes arctic sea exploration to new dark places. The second short an animated stop motion Fierce fit alongside Game of Death perfectly as both are completely bonkers, although it may leave more questions than answers.

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